NEW POTATO IS MOISTER, WHITER THAN OTHER KINDS

Americans will be able to sink their teeth into a new baking potato this fall that is moister and whiter than the most popular variety now available, Agriculture Department scientists said Thursday.

The new potato, described as pure white, is called Coastal Russet and is the result of 10 years of research by department scientists. The department, announcing the development, said it recently had been released for distribution by experiment stations in Maine, New York, Florida, Virginia and New Jersey."Consumers will find this baked potato to be whiter and moister than Russet Burbank, the nation's leading baking potato," said Robert Goth, a plant pathologist at the Agricultural Research Service.

The new potato was the result of work led by plant pathologist Raymon Webb to develop a coarse brown-skinned potato suitable for growing along with East Coast. Researchers say Coastal Russet can be grown throughout the country.